DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF COARSE WOODY DEBRIS IN A MANAGED FORESTLANDSCAPE OF THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is integral to the functioning and productiv ity of forested ecosystems. Standing snags and large logs on the fores t floor affect soil processes, soil fertility, hydrology, and wildlife microhabitat. Few data are available pertaining to the distribution a nd abundance of CWD in the managed hardwood forests of the central App alachians. We surveyed 11 stands, at various stages of development (su ccession) after clear-cutting (<2, 15-25, 65-90, >100 years old), to e valuate the density, volume, and biomass of trees, snags, and logs und er the local forest management regime. As expected, density, volume, a nd biomass of CWD (stems greater-than-or-equal-to 2.5 cm diameter) wer e greatest in young stands (<2 years old) immediately following clear- cutting; the vast majority of CWD existed as relatively labile, small- diameter, low decay state logging slash. Young stands retained a few l arge logs in advanced decay states but observations suggest that these elements were often disturbed (i.e., crushed) by logging equipment du ring the harvest process. Crushed logs do not function ecologically in the same capacity as large intact logs. A marked decline in CWD was o bserved in young pole stands (15-25 years old) as slash decomposed. Th ese stands were characterized by a high density of young hardwood stum p sprouts in the overstory while maintaining a moderate amount of CWD in middle size and decay states on the forest floor. More mature hardw ood stands (65-90 years old) generally exhibited a decrease in live-st em density and an increase in basal area, accompanied by a slight incr ease in CWD. Commercial thinning presumably limits the contribution of large CWD to the forest floor. This was most clearly evident in the o ldest stands (>100 years old) where large CWD was not widely observed. A striking feature across all stands was the near absence of logs in large size classes (>65 cm diameter) and a paucity of logs in mid to l ate decay stages. We discuss our data in the context of hardwood fores t structure and management in the central Appalachians.